Team Goemkarponn
CHICALIM: Chicalim Bio-Crusaders organised a bird watching event for School children from the local Chicalim panchayat area.
Over a dozen school kids participated in the event enthusiastically and enjoyed a fest of bird spotting on the Alto-Chicalim plateau. The children were accompanied by their parents on the occasion.
Rare birds like Indian Golden Oriole and migratory bird such as Scaly Breasted Munias besides Red Rumped Swallow and White Throated Kingfisher were sighted and observed by the school kids. They managed to sight over twenty birds during the early morning event organised by Chicalim Bio-Crusaders in association with Goa Bird Conservation Network (GBCN).
The school children also found some peacock feathers amongst the bushes which they carried home as prized trophies.
The event was coordinated by Trace Fernandes, Head of Don Bosco Primary School, Dabolim on behalf of the students. She thanked the President of Chicalim Bio-Crusaders Cyril Fernandes for facilitating the event at short notice in this Diwali vacation period.
Master Ashu Fernandes from Regina Mundi High School was all excited about the sighting. He thanked the organisers for giving them this golden opportunity to be introduced to birding at a very young age.
Crystal Nunes, Chicalim resident accompanied her two kids. She expressed her happiness at the event and wished that more such events be organised by Chicalim Bio-Crusaders and GBCN.
Mr. Cyril Fernandes, President of Chicalim Bio-Crusaders thanked Trace for giving their organisation an opportunity to introduce the Chicalim birds to the school children. He further thanked Goa Bird Conservation Network and its President Omkar Dharwadkar, Treasurer Mandar Bhagat and member Parag Rangnekar for helping with the organising of the event with their expertise.
Speaking on the occasion, Fernandes pointed out the rich biodiversity that the Alto Chicalim Plateau possess and appealed to the Government of Goa and the concerned authorities including the Mormugao Planning and Development Authority to declare the Alto-Chicalim Plateau as a natural habitat so that the rare and endangered birds and other wildlife existing there can remain protected for posterity.
Goa Bird Conservation Network had provided two experts in the form of Omkar and Mandar who came equipped with Spotting Scopes and binoculars to assist the children during the event.
